Matt Webster appeared destined for a lifelong career at Electronic Arts. He first joined the company in 1990 and spent nearly twenty years contributing to Criterion, the studio behind Burnout and Need for Speed, which EA acquired in 2004.
In early 2023, however, Webster, together with former Criterion colleagues Steve Uphill, Pete Lake, Andrei Shires and Alan McDairmant, decided to leave EA and launch their own independent UK studio, Fuse Games. Three and a half years later the fledgling studio is poised to ship its debut title, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, under the banner of the newly independent publisher Secret Mode. Galactic Racer arrives roughly 24 years after the last Star Wars‑themed racing game, 2002’s Racer Revenge, and it does so at a time when traditional racing games have lost some of their mainstream appeal.
Amazon recently walked away from a publishing agreement with Maverick Games for the upcoming driving title Clutch, with Amazon Games head Jeff Gattis stating, “we didn’t see a real fit in the market for that game.” Meanwhile Criterion, once a powerhouse of arcade‑style racers, has shifted its focus to the Battlefield franchise. Despite these signals, Webster remains convinced there is still a hungry audience for a Star Wars racing experience. “We clearly think there’s an audience for a Star Wars racing game,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
“We’re not the only ones who feel that way, and the response we get from people watching our videos and reading our articles suggests we’re not alone.” He points out that genres tend to be cyclical. After a period dominated by shooters, other types of games inevitably resurface. “As more and more people play video games, even the tiniest niches find a bigger audience,” Webster added.
According to Webster, modern players are craving “fun, interesting, compelling new experiences that they haven’t seen before,” and he believes Galactic Racer delivers exactly that. The team set out to capture the instant gratification of classic arcade racers while also exploring what can be done when you are no longer constrained by realistic tyres and tarmac. “We have tracks that climb the side of an active volcano,” he explains. “Sometimes it feels like a roller‑coaster.” Beyond the high‑octane thrills, the game deliberately subverts long‑standing racing conventions.
Most racing titles have relied on a car‑collection model for the past two decades. Webster wants to rip that formula apart and borrow mechanics from other genres. One of the most striking innovations is the introduction of meaningful consequences for crashing. In many modern racers a “rewind” button erases any penalty, but Galactic Racer reinstates risk: crash too often and you are sent back to the start, though you retain a slice of meta‑progression that puts you in a stronger position the next run.
This risk‑reward loop forces players to weigh every maneuver, especially when they are down to their final crash. The design philosophy draws heavily from roguelike principles found in games like Hades, Returnal and Slay the Spire—titles built around infinite replayability. “Racing thrives on replayability,” Webster notes, “so combining it with roguelike structures feels like a match made in heaven.” The game’s progression system encourages players to learn from each failure, adapt their strategy, and gradually build a more powerful load‑out, echoing the loop that makes roguelikes addictive. Webster is aware that launching a new IP in a crowded market is risky, especially in a year when industry titans such as GTA 6 are slated for release.
Galactic Racer is scheduled for October 6, a respectable gap from GTA 6’s November 19 launch, but still close to other high‑profile releases like Control: Resonance and Silent Hill: Townfall, both arriving on September 24. Nevertheless, Webster reminds us that busy release windows are nothing new. “People used to call October ‘Murderers’ Row’ because it was packed with games,” he says.
“We have a healthy confidence, tempered by a realistic view of how things might turn out.” The conversation inevitably turns to the wave of layoffs sweeping the industry. Having survived previous downturns, Webster reflects that great teams make great games, and great games find an audience. He argues that the current climate shows an aversion to risk, which paradoxically creates opportunities for studios willing to take calculated bets. “If you’re not willing to make the bets, you limit your chances,” he observes.
Funding a new independent studio in 2023 has not been easy. “People told me I was brave to start an indie studio now,” Webster recalls. After 32 years at EA, he stepped out of a comfortable bubble and had to rely on the principles he’d learned: assemble a talented team, refine a clear creative vision, and maintain disciplined planning—always knowing the plan will evolve.
He stresses that engaged, motivated talent is the engine of great games, and that it is the studio’s responsibility to nurture that talent. Fuse Games remains relatively small for a title with AAA ambitions, employing around 75 people. This size is intentional; the studio avoids the typical “grow‑shrink‑grow‑shrink” cycle by leveraging external partners for additional capacity. “We keep a permanent core team and bring in trusted collaborators who share our values,” Webster explains.
The studio’s external work ranges from transactional outsourcing for asset creation to full co‑development, where partner studios sit in on daily stand‑ups, Slack channels, and even share the code base. The United Kingdom, with its mature game development ecosystem, proves especially fertile for this co‑development model.
In the past, external studios were often reluctant to assist, preferring to focus on their own projects. Today, many companies hire developers who are eager to work across multiple teams, keeping the workforce fresh and enthusiastic.
Webster believes this hybrid approach—small internal core plus flexible external support—offers a sustainable path to delivering AAA‑level scope, scale and visual fidelity on a reasonable budget. The rapid development timeline of Galactic Racer validates the model: Fuse was founded in January 2023, and just three and a half years later the team has built a studio, assembled a team, and created a game on Unreal Engine 5, a technology none of them previously mastered.
Another noteworthy aspect is the infusion of younger talent. While several veteran Criterion alumni are part of the team, many of the developers are newcomers, including a producer who had never worked in games before. “The young talent we’ve got is smarter and more effective in many ways than I was at that age,” Webster says. He notes that seasoned developers often prefer senior colleagues who require minimal interaction, but nurturing younger staff not only motivates them but also energizes the veterans.
The studio plans to launch an internship program in the future, though Webster cautions that they are still pre‑revenue and must be realistic about the costs of talent development. Reflecting on the era a few years ago when the industry was flush with cash, Webster recalls how many successful teams received funding to spin off their own studios, only to discover how hard it truly is to thrive independently. He criticizes the industry’s lingering fixation on the “lone creative visionary” myth, calling it “bullshit.” In his view, games are always collaborative efforts. Looking ahead, Fuse Games remains flexible.
The launch of Galactic Racer is just the beginning, and while they have ideas for future projects, they understand that independent developers must stay adaptable to seize new opportunities. The studio’s blend of seasoned expertise, fresh perspectives, and a sustainable development model positions it to navigate the ever‑changing landscape of modern gaming.